Greg's fatal decision?
by RocketScientist2
Summary: GSR. There are suggestions that in S7 Greg will make a decision with fatal consequences that will have ramifications throughout the season. This is just a oneshot idea that came to mind. Please R & R as it is my first Fanfic.


**_Greg's fatal Decision? _**

It is a misty night on a farm just outside of Vegas.

After hearing some noise from the area of the barn, Grissom, Greg and Sofia switch on their torches and approach the barn carefully.

Sofia pulls out her side arm but holds it unthreateningly by her side as she leads the way towards the barn entrance.

She calls out "Las Vegas police..."

"Mr. Cargil? We need to ask you some questions... Mr. Cargil?"

Something falls over at the other side of the barn. Sofia gives a look of "wait here" to Grissom and Greg as she and the uniformed officer skirt around to the side of the barn to investigate.

As Grissom and Greg wait, a figure emerges from the darkness of the barn. He is holding a pitchfork pointed directly towards the two CSIs.

"Mr. Cargil?" Grissom asks as they turn towards him.

"I'm Gil Grissom and this is Greg Sanders we're from the Las Vegas Crime Lab. We just needed to ask you a few questions about the incident on your land?" Grisson tries to sound as unthreatening as he can, well aware of the damage a pitch fork can do and the not very stable look in the man's eye.

"You're trespassing.." The man says staring, ignoring Grissom's politeness.

"Yes I know we just want to talk to you, that is all" replies Grissom. Greg glances towards Grissom following his lead in dealing with the threat from the man who is clearly not keen on visitors.

"Its my land." He states bluntly. The man seems to be getting more threatening rather than less at Grissom's platitudes.

"Yes indeed. This will not take long, and then we will be off your land" Grissom is now wondering where Sofia and the officer have gone.

"Get off my land" he states angrily. He is starting to have that caged animal look in his eyes. Greg tenses. The man jerks the pitchfork towards Grissom. Closing the distance to a mere arms length away.

Grissom casually puts his hands out to his sides but he stays looking directly at the man. But at the edge of his vision he sees the look of fear and uncertainty in Greg's eyes. It had been a long triple shift for them both and this was their last call before returning to the lab.

"That's ok Greg we don't have a warrant. If Mr. Cargil wants us to leave then we will"

No one moves. But Cargill senses Greg's tension. It makes him unsure. So Grissom continues his attempt to prevent any further escalation of the situation. "I am sure no one wants to hurt anyone here" His eyes do not waver from Cargill's eyes. But he does not back up as he is aware of the need to protect Greg.

The pitchfork suddenly jerks forward again. Perhaps to encourage them to move away. In Greg's fatigued state it looks like a lurch at Grissom.

Greg suddenly reacts, he panics and pulls out his gun and points it at the man. At the same time as the pitch fork moves its focus from Grissom to Greg, Grissom leaps towards Greg and shouts " No Greg!". He pushes Greg out of the way of the fork coming down on him, but not in time to stop the man returning the focus back to Grissom with full force.

Grissom feels a weakness overcome him and burning sensation into his abdomen. He looks down to see four steel spikes impaling him just below the cover of his flak jacket. Greg tumbles to the ground and fires his gun. But misses. The man, now in a murderous rage pulls out the pitchfork out of Grissom, with a sickening sound, causing Grissom to fall to his knees. Greg looks up ready for a strike to descend on him. All he sees is the cold dark look of the man intent on his death. Human life meaning nothing to the man. Greg is paralyzed by fear. His gun is still pointed at the man but he is unable to move, frozen by the moment.

Suddenly 3 shots ring out from behind him. The man's eyes glaze over and he arches backwards and drops down dead next to Greg. Sofia and the uniformed officer rush up to the group.

Sofia's face is full of concern. "Greg are you ok?"

"yeah, yeah" he answers shakely.

They both look at Grissom who as collapsed on his back on to the ground.

"Oh god. No, no, ... no..." cries Sofia as she realizes his condition. "Grissom!"

She leans over him snatching at her radio "Dispatch this is Curtis. We have an officer down. We need medical assistance NOW!"

She places her hand on Grissom's chest he is still breathing. But his breathes are slow and shallow. Grissom's eyes open slowly and look towards Sofia as she leans in to hear him. "Tell... tell Greg it is not his fault" he breathes. And as his head starts to drop back and his eyes close into unconsciousness Sofia hears him say "... Sara...".

-----------

Back at the lab. Catherine is in the interrogation room with Brass. Ecklie appears at the door window and taps on the glass looking directly at Catherine. Catherine sighs and gets up. Out side in the corridor she faces Ecklie.

"I'm in the middle of an interrogation, Conrad" she states testily.

Ecklie ignores her irritation and looks grave. He speaks quietly.

"I need you to take over supervising the night shift..."

"where's Grissom?" She asks concerned.

Ecklie hesitates. "He has just been flown by air ambulance to Desert Palm"

"Oh my lord. What's happened?"

"Apparently he was defending Greg from a suspect and got stabbed by a pitch fork."

She looks shocked and worried "How is he?"

"It's bad, Catherine. He has multiple organ damage and has lost allot of blood"

Catherine just looks white. Thinking about the possibility of loosing her closest friend. She would not be the person she was, had it not been for his listening ear and support.

Then it dawns on her "How's Greg?"

"Sofia says he is a mess. He's blaming himself and is in shock"

"He is so new to the field..." her voice trails off as her mind returns to Grissom.

"Have you told the others yet?" She asks.

"No. I wanted to tell you first. Look this is going to be hard on the lab. This lab would not have the reputation it has if it hadn't been for Grissom." He then goes on to confide "Think what you like about me, I know he is ten times the CSI I'll ever be. It is one reason I moved into administration".

-------------

Catherine and Ecklie had the whole team, including Sara, assembled in the coffee lounge.

Warrick asks jovially "So what is all the fuss about? You got a promotion?"

Catherine looked like she was about to cry at the statement. Little did Warrick know how close he might be. If Grissom died she would undoubtedly get Grissom's Graveyard shift supervisor position.

Warrick looked concerned by the emotion on Catherine's face.

Conrad came to her rescue.

"Look there is no easy way to tell you all this... Grissom has been wounded at a crime scene. He is in a critical condition"

Sara lets out a stifled gasp and covers her mouth. Tears coming immediately to her eyes. There are other gasps and looks of concern from around the room.

Nick who is next to her is too shocked himself to comfort her. He stares into space, remembering Grissom placing his hand on his glass coffin lid and shouting "Poncho!" to calm him down. Never had he felt the strength and confidence in the man as at that moment when he placed his hand on Grissom's through the Perspex. He knew he was saved when he saw Grissom was in charge.

Ecklie explained the situation. There was stunned silence.

Catherine looked to Sara. Sara just rushed out of the room in tears. Catherine followed her to the bathroom.

Catherine held Sara in her arms. She was pleased that Sara was letting her comfort her. At the same time Catherine fought back her own tears. They both loved Grissom in their own ways. Though Catherine was unaware of the depth of Sara's involvement with Grissom.

She always knew of course that Sara held a flame for Grissom. But she had not thought about her reaction to the news. Sara had seemed to be over him. The rumor mill had been ripe with gossip that her new found contented, even happy, disposition, was that she had a mysterious man in the background. If she did not want to share him with those at the lab that was fine. Not every partner can take their work activities in their stride. And she could well understand Sara wanting to keep some part of your life free from the association with death and decomposition. Not that that had prevented plenty of banter and teasing from the team about her silence on the topic.

Finally as Sara's tears seem to abate slightly Catherine said "Come on. I'll take you to the hospital".

--------

Sofia and Greg waited in the waiting room at the hospital. Greg's head was in his hands. Grissom's blood was still on his hands as he and Sofia had tried to halt the flow of blood from Grissom's abdomen as they waited for the paramedics to arrive.

The doctor had said that their efforts had probably saved Grissom's life. Small compensation to Greg as he remembered how Sofia had had to bark at him several times to wake him from his stupor to come help her. Yet again he felt he had frozen at a crime scene. Like the first time he had gone into the field on the bus crash scene. Grissom had been firm with Greg but he knew Grissom was proud of Greg's intentions on that occasion. Later Nick had comforted him that everyone reacts like that at first. And with proper training and experience it would not happen again.

But now it had. He had not just frozen up but panicked. And it might result in the death of his mentor and friend. Sofia had told him what Grissom had said. But that did not help. Not only had Grissom's actions saved Greg's life but even while dying Grissom was thinking of others. He knew Grissom regarded him like a son. But lord he had so let him down. He suddenly realized how it was love of people was what motivated Grissom in his work as much as solving the puzzle. People often only saw the reserved analytical man, and did not see the heart that beat beneath. Maybe it was a result of the silence of his childhood home that prevented him from showing his feelings more openly. But Greg suddenly recognized the self sacrifice inherent within the man. Something that Greg now wondered if he possessed. Greg knew he shared Grissom's intellectual love, if not so deep, but did he have the emotional strength to be a CSI of the caliber of his mentor?

Sofia stood up as Catherine, Warrick, Brass, Nick and a tear streaked Sara arrived. Sara did not care how she looked or what anyone thought. She had only one concern on her mind.

Sofia looked to Sara with concern. She knew that Sara had feelings for Grissom. She had always considered Sara a rival for Grissom's affections. Although Grissom had once over dinner explained to Sofia, that he was involved with someone and that it was very serious. He had sworn her to absolute secrecy, which she had respected. Although he had said that Brass knew. She had been disappointed but she respected that he had been concerned enough to not hurt her feelings and that he enjoyed their banter! She had appreciated the privacy he had shared. Something not common place for him, but he did so to save her feelings. He had not said that the woman was Sara, but Sofia had often wondered. It would explain a few things. She knew how private a man he was. 'Was'. She had to watch herself. "Is" she corrected herself in her mind. 'Don't count him out yet'

At the sight of Sara's distress she felt her suspicion was right. And much as she envied her victory over Grissom, she did not wish to be in her shoes today.

The doctor appeared and addressed the group.

"Are you the party for Mr. Grissom?"

"Yes" Sofia answered simply.

"Are any of you Mrs. Grissom?" he asked of the 3 women present.

Warrick answered "He isn't married"

The doctor looked puzzled. "According to our records he is... a Mrs. Sara Grissom...?"

The whole team looked towards Sara a gasp. For a moment the gravity of the situation forgotten.

Sara completely unconcerned about their reaction or anything else but getting her Grissom back.

"I'm his wife, doctor. How is he?"

"He is out of surgery. And stable for now. He has had allot of damage to several major organs. It will be a long recovery. But I hope that he is over the worst of it now."

Sara tried a hesitant smile. "Thank you doctor"

"You can sit with him soon when he is brought to recovery. I'll let you know when."

Everyone hugged and smiled with relief at the news that Grissom was going to be OK.

When the doctor had left, Catherine turned to Sara and said "so when did this all happen?"

"What?" replied Sara a little distracted.

"Married?" said Nick.

"Oh yeah. About 6 months ago."

"But... how long... what... when..." stuttered Warrick not sure which question he wanted answered first.

"Oh we've been together about 3 years" She said matter-of-factly. All she could think of is 'He's going to be ok'.

However for the others there was general astonishment at her statement. Finally noticing, Sara was able to tear her thoughts away from Grissom and she continued "I know I am sorry we did not tell you all. But at first we wanted to keep it to ourselves to see if it would work out or not. Then as time went on and we started talking about living together, we wanted to tell everyone, but we knew we would not be allowed to work together anymore. And although we were ok with working together, defense attorney's would always use it against us like in the de Havilland Case".

"So that is why when the team was brought back together, Grissom asked me to do your supervisory reports and not him. He said it was to keep me quite about loosing the Shift Supervisor position!" said Catherine as much to herself as anyone. "But married?"

"Well about a year go Grissom said he wanted to get married. To make sure I couldn't run away easily he said!" she smiled "but I think it was also because his mom is getting on and he knew how much it would mean to her. She is a remarkable lady alright..."

The whole room was stunned at all this.

"But we missed out on the wedding! Lindsey could have been a bridesmaid!" Said Catherine. Sara gave her a frown. "Precisely the kind of thing neither of us wanted. It was a very quite, no fuss event. Neither of us would have had it any other way." she thought for a second "I'm sorry you guys, but too much was at stake".

The doctor returned.

"You can come in now Mrs. Grissom"

Sara left with the doctor so she would be able to hold Grissom's hand and be the first thing he sees when he wakes up in the morning...

THE END


End file.
